New Holland Dies Irea

On tap at New Holland. Rather hard to classify, as this ale includes honey and apple cider. I was told this is what New Holland considers their "sweetest" beer and I can’t disagree. Deep brown body, medium off-white head. Caramelized malt aroma with honey, apple, and a peculiar candy-like butterscotchy character. Butterscotch also permeates the flavor...aha, I figured it out- this tastes like those Bit-O-Honey candies. Cider and honey are strong and provide the aforementioned sweetness. Roasted notes and chocolate underlie the complexity of fruit and candy flavors. Quite yeasty and winey. Alcohol isn’t noticeable. Very interesting. I overheard another patron calling this a mead, but the apple cider and dark ale components stray from that formula. In any event, I liked this.